The tragic story of James Kim reached across the globe.

Fortunately his family was found, and some of the lessons being learned from this story of a vacation gone terribly wrong may help prevent future incidents from taking a similarly sad turn.

Spotlighted through all of this is the increasing importance of cell phones, as well as global positioning technology.

The Kims attempted to make several calls, which rescuers state provided critical evidence in their attempt to extend their search efforts and hone in on the family’s location.

Of course, it is widely acknowledged that Mr. Kim’s professional affiliation with media company Cnet helped generate in no small way to the significant publicity for the family’s plight.

Yet part of the story’s sad irony is that while Kim was steeped in the business of technology as resident MP3 expert, he had no GPS in his Saab.

GPS is much more than a convenience: It is a safety net.

And if history is any guide, anticipate a sharp increase in demand for handheld GPS devices, and GPS-enabled phones, as well as some kind of cell phone alert system that will pinpoint location in an emergency.

It’s true that privacy concerns have often proven the market detriment to businesses pushing for the embrace of this type of technology, although companies like Disney already offer these products.

But I anticipate that the Kim story will relegate most of these concerns - often somewhat Big Brother-esque paranoid in nature - to the backburner, and help put location communicating products into the hands of many more consumers.

In which case, it will be another example of business proving its value not just to business owners, investors and shareholders, but to individuals with fundamental needs for products and services that can help preserve their family’s health and well-being.

What better purpose can business serve?

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